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The Ministry of Agriculture, the Association of Volunteers in International Service, AVSI and Biladi Association concluded yesterday their joint project funded by the European Union and entitled: ‘Peaceful and Comprehensive Education’ in seven regions of Lebanon. The closing event was held at the National Institute for Management, under the patronage of Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb, represented by his advisor, Anwar Daou. The project which was implemented in Akkar, Batroon, Metn, Shuf, Nabatiyeh, Marjeyoon and Baalbek, included extension sessions carried out in public agricultural schools that targeted 140 young Syrian and Lebanese students. Training  focused on the following topics: the setting up of cooperatives, agricultural enterprises, model farming, management of orchards and plant nurseries, maintenance of green areas, knowledge on how to develop a seasonal agricultural calendar for the main crop types, application of proper fertilization methods, eco-friendly agricultural skills, harvest and packaging techniques, treatment of diseases and pest control. Daou pointed out that the Ministry will soon be developing the curricula of agricultural schools in order that they incorporate modern technologies in line with recent global developments. Daou also called for improving the conditions of residents of remote rural areas to keep them steadfast on their land, through the stepping up of extension services aimed at achieving the following: developing agricultural production, rationalizing the use of pesticides, promoting organic farming and conservation agriculture, planting of new trees and seedlings that are resistant to climate change, water scarcity and drought.  (Al Mustaqbal, December 17, 2015)

 

The season for the production of carob molasses has just started in the Upper Matn town of Qosaybeh amidst very harsh conditions, Al Mustaqbal daily reported in its issue of today. This seasonal industry is facing strong local competition with prices unchanged despite the rise in the cost of the carob crop, which forced manufacturers to stop relying on labor in order to cut the cost of production. Furthermore, it is to be noted that work in the carob presses have moved to night work shifts as it allows local inhabitants to attend to their regular work. This shift has come about as a result of the transformation of carob production from a main to a secondary industry. Moreover, and according to Al Mustaqbal, Qosaybeh village deserved its name as the capital of the carob molasses in the South Mount Lebanon area because it still follows the traditional methods of production. Citing the early beginnings of this industry, the newspaper traced it back to Khalil Mitri No3aymeh from Qosaybeh in the forties of the last century to peak during the seventies with tens of presses flourishing in the area. Now, however, the paper added, there are only 6 remaining presses struggling to survive, with an annual rate of production standing between 5 to 30 tons. No3aymeh also pointed out that local production of carobs is now meeting local demands after the revival of the industry thus pointing an end to imports from Cyprus. No3aymeh concluded by saying that the carob tree does not need much care, fertilizers, irrigation or pruning, remains green throughout the year and hence can be considered as a true friend of the environment in addition to being economically viable. (Al Mustaqbal, December 17, 2015)

 

The Lebanese University School of Arts and Humanities-First Branch organized yesterday a conference entitled ‘The Labor Market and Education Curricula’ which aimed at discussing the quality of education and employment prospects available for students in diverse specialties. A number of participants focused on the new European LMD system, describing this educational system applied recently by the national university as a mere copy of the Western teaching system. Others, while maintaining that the curricula need to be regularly updated, also stressed the importance of adaptation to the national conditions and they remain in line with modern global teaching strategies as well as the demands of the labor market. To this effect, Dean Nabil Khatib, pointed out that the college is no longer just a place for students to indulge in theoretical courses. It also aims at equipping them to directly enter the labor market. In this framework he singled out some of the specialties in demand namely: proofreading, translation and simultaneous interpretation, the development of learning software for maps, etc. The conference devoted two sessions to discuss the linkages between the labor market and the disciplines of Arts and Humanities. In his lecture, "Mainstreaming the labor market with the humanities curriculum,” Dr. Ghassan Mrad stressed the importance of adapting the Arabic language as a vehicle for promoting knowledge, as well as of embracing modern scientific methods aided with sophisticated application techniques. For his part, Dr Khaled Mer3eb highlighted the wide gap in learning between the knowledge acquired by university graduates and the broader cultural inheritance. In the second session, Dr. Lina Beydun gave a lecture entitled: ‘Forging academic and vocational paths between academic disciplines’. (As Safir, December 17, 2015)

 

The restaurant classification and quality evaluation program implemented by the Ministry of Public Health announced yesterday their assessment results for restaurant and food establishments with 25% of those located in Beirut receiving the gold certificate and 10% the silver. The event which took place at the Grand Serail under the patronage of PM Tammam Salam aims according to Minister Wa2el Abu Faoor at motivating these establishments to uphold food safety requirements and reduce the incidents of food poisoning. 

It should be noted, that the first phase of the program which included the classification of some 341 food establishments in Greater Beirut area came in the framework of the food safety campaign launched a year ago. Abu Faoor pointed out that releasing the results of the assessment program ahead of the end of year festivities will provide a boost to the tourist season and will reassure the ordinary consumer. For more information on the adopted standards and resultst, kindly visit the following link: http://bit.ly/1NoJRwz

 

In its issue of yesterday, Al Mustaqbal daily newspaper highlighted the story of the ambitious and profit making Bayt.com recruitment website which has grown remarkably since the early years of its launching back in 2000. Bayt.com has developed from a simple site posting wanted jobs to a pioneering recruitment portal in the Middle East region, which helped over 22 million people in finding employment and developing their career. According to the newspaper, Bayt.com also became a support platform for start-up companies on the MENA internet network. To introduce more the enterprise, Al Mustaqbal interviewed the sales vice chair, Suheil Masri, who pointed out that the site is having a growing audience in Lebanon thanks to its effective search tools for job prospects and talents. Furthermore, he noted that employers in the country believe that successful recruitment is intimately linked to the availability of CVS completed by job seekers. “This has rendered Bayt.com an indispensable portal for Lebanese people seeking employment, given the large number of job announcements provided daily by the site and the rich CV database that cater to the need of employers. (Al Mustaqbal, December 15, 2015)

 

 

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding concluded between the Ministry of Social Services and the Arab Open University, AOU, the latter held a ceremony event, organized last Saturday at the AOU campus in Antelias during which certificates were distributed to some 17 graduates who completed the entrepreneurship training course. The University’s director, Dr. Farah Sarkis, expressed her satisfaction with the present cooperation between the two parties, which aims at developing the skills of students with innovative entrepreneurship ideas. The training program, it should be noted, includes modules on how to develop a business concept, the creation of a project based on a feasibility study and legal requirements, as well as training on marketing and project management. ((Al Mustaqbal, December 14, 2015)

 

The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida and the South in cooperation with the Federation of Lebanese Chambers organized last Friday, ‘Mawin Baytak’ fair for traditional and artisan products under the patronage of the Minister of Economy Alan Hakim, represented by the Ministry’s director general, Alia Abbas. Over 100 associations and enterprises from various regions of Saida and the South participated in the fair and displayed their special rural food and craft products. On the occasion, the Chamber’s President, Mohammad Saleh indicated that the exhibition aims to preserve and highlight the heritage of southern villages and to “motivate Lebanese people to consume a wide selection of preservative-free foods and to familiarize them with local handicrafts and craftsmanship.” He also stressed that the initiative aims to develop local communities economically and culturally through supporting rural products and increasing local income. Saleh expressed the readiness of the Chamber to cooperate with all parties for the development of local southern communities and to contribute to supporting rural tourism, as well as to organize training courses geared at developing traditional industries and creating jobs in rural areas. Similarly, Abbas noted that the exhibition highlights the economic activities in the South and will support the steadfastness of villages. She called for unity at all national levels through better economic integration and increased domestic production. (As Safir, Al Diyar, December 12, 2015)

 

In its issue of December 3, L’Orient Le Jour daily reviewed the new cook book entitled: ‘The Lebanese House Cuisine’ by Kamal Mzawaq, founder of the Souk El Yayyib and Tawleh rural culinary project. In commenting his work, Mzawaq said that it is not only his book; but that of his mother, neighbor and all women customers of Souk El Tayyeb and Tawleh. As for choosing to write in English, Mzawaq explained that he wanted to address the Western mindset in a different language than that of war and hostility for which the region is characterized. His slogan ‘Make Food Not War’ reflected well the spirit of the book. Each recipe tells a story of one area of the country, while attempting to introduce the reader to traditional gastronomy including kibbeh, tabbooleh, stuffed vegetables, tanoor bread, mankoosheh of thyme, qarisheh made from cream, honey or molasses, and other cookery. (L’Orient Le Jour, December 3, 2015)